Launching a survival craft from an offshore platform for emergency escape can be in the face of a combination of adverse circumstances, e.g. with the platform listing, in the dark, into dense smoke, into fire on the sea, into a toxic or flammable gas cloud, in high winds or against adverse tides. It is therefore desirable to launch the survival craft positively away from the platform and in a bows-out heading. One method which has been suggested is to launch the craft from a downwardly inclined chute extending partway from the platform to the sea, the balance of the distance being a free fall. Although this system can launch a boat away from the platform at a useful speed, it is expensive to install and subjects the passengers to high g-loads.